International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane will today, 22 October 2009, depart for Lusaka, to hold discussions with her Zambian counterpart Mr Kabinga Pande and to initiate preparations for the forthcoming state visit by President Jacob Zuma, scheduled for December 2009.
The visit by Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane takes place within the context of the consolidation of the African Agenda and efforts by the South African government to build on the solid bilateral relations existing between the two countries.
Accordingly, discussions between Minister Nkoana-Mashabane and Foreign Minister Kabinga Pande will focus, among others, on the following issues:
* agreements or memoranda of understanding to be signed during the scheduled state visit
* bilateral political, economic and trade relations between the two countries
* regional and multilateral issues.
During her visit Minister Nkoana-Mashabane is also expected to pay a courtesy call on Vice President George Kaunda. Bilateral relations between South Africa and Zambia remain cordial and South Africa’s cooperation with Zambia is driven by its vision of an “African renaissance” of peace, stability and security and sustained renewal, growth and socio-economic development for the African continent.
Zambia is South Africa’s major trading partner as illustrated by the trade statistics between the two countries below.
Year and amount
South African exports (Rand’000)
2006: 7,984,927
2007: 10,084,381
2008: 16,346,595
2009: 5,907,553
South African imports (Rand’000)
2006: 1,842,287
2007: 2,490,876
2008: 2,388,079
2009: 645 774
South African Trade Balance (Rand’000)
2006: 6,142,640
2007: 7,594,306
2008: 13,958,516
2009: 5,261,780
For more information contact:
Nomfanelo Kota
Cell: 082 459 3787
Issued by: Department of International Relations and Cooperation
22 October 2009
